17th  Congress,  )  SENATE.  ( Ex.  Doc. 

1st  Session.     f  |   No.  80. 


LETTER 

FROM 

I 

THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR, 

TRANSMITTING 

A  communication  from  the  Chief  of  Engineers  of  the  Army,  dated  January 
25,  1882,  and  accompanying  copy  of  report  from  Maj.  G.  L.  Gillespie, 
Corps  of  Engineers,  upon  an  examination  of  the  icaters  of  New  York  Bay. 


January  30,  1832. — Referred  to  the  Committee  on  Commerce  and  ordered  to  be 

printed. 


War  Department, 
Washington  City,  January  27,  1882. 
The  Secretary  of  War  has  the  honor  to  transmit  to  the  United  States 
Senate,  for  the  information  of  the  Committee  on  Commerce,  a  commu- 
nication from  the  Chief  of  Engineers  of  the  Army,  dated  the  25th 
instant,  and  the  accompanying  copy  of  report  frtfni  Maj.  G.  L.  Gillespie, 
Corps  of  Engineers,  upon  an  examination,  made  in  compliance '  with 
requirements  in  the  river  and  harbor  act  of  March  3, 1881,  of  the  waters 
of  New  York  Bay,  from  a  point  between  Ellis  Island  and  the  docks  of 
the  New  Jersey  Central  Kailroad  to  a  point  between  Bobbins'  Eeef 
Light  and  Constable  Hook,  New'  Jersey. 

EOBEET  T.  LINCOLN, 
Secretary  of  War. 

The  President  pro  tempore 

of  the  United  States  Senate. 


* 


Office  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers, 

United  States  Army, 
Washington,  D.  C,  January  25,  1882. 
Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  a  copy  of  a  report  to  this 
office  from  Maj.  G.  L.  Gillespie,  Corps  of  Engineers,  of  the  results  of  an 
examination  made,  in  compliance  with  the  requirements  of  the  river  and 
harbor  act  of  March  3,  1881,  of  the  waters  of  New  York  Bay  from  a 
point  between  Ellis  Island  and  the  docks  of  the  New  Jersey  Central 
Railroad  to  a  point  between  Bobbins'  Reef  Light  and  Constable  Hook, 
New  Jersey. 

Yery  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

H.  G.  WRIGHT, 
Chief  of  Engineers,  Brig,  and  Bvt.  Maj.  Gen. 
Hon.  Robert  T.  Lincoln,  * 
Secretary  of  War. 


2  EXAMINATION  OF  THE  WATERS  OF  NEW  YORK  BAY. 

survey  from  a  point  between  ellis  island  and  the  docks  of 
new  jersey  central  railroad  to  a  point  between  robbins' 
reef  light  and  constable  hook,  in  waters  of  new  york 
bay,  new  jersey. 

United  States  Engineer  offiee, 

Neiv  TarJet  December  28,  1881. 

General:  Incompliance  with  section  3,  river  and  harbor  act  ap- 
proved March  3,  1881,  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  my  report 
on  the  examination  "from  a  point  between  Ellis  Island  and  docks  of 
Hew  Jersey  Central  Railroad  to  a  point  between  Bobbins'  Reef  Light 
and  Constable  Hook,  in  waters  of  New  York  Bay,  New  Jersey." 

This  examination  was  made  under  the  direction  of  my  predecessor,  in 
July  and  August,  1881,  and  was  conducted  personally  by  Assistant 
Engineer  A.  Doerflinger,  whose  report  accompanying  this  communica- 
tion gives  the  outline  of  the  projected  improvement  and  the  estimated 
cost. 

The  area  covered  by  the  examination  is  locally  known  as  "  Jersey 
Flats,"  which  lie  on  the  west  side  of  the  Upper  Bay  of  Xew  York,  imme- 
diately south  of  Jersey  City,  extend  to  the  entrance  to  Kill  van  Kull, 
and  comprise  4,886  acres. 

The  Coast  Survey  chart  of  the  Upper  Bay,  prepared  in  1855,  by  com- 
parison with  that  of  1835  shows  that  during  the  intervening  twenty 
years  the  flats  had  moved  greatly  to  the  eastward,  with  an  accompany- 
ing diminution  in  the  depth  of  water.  This  shoaling  is  known  to  be 
due  in  part  to  the  encroachments  upon  the  river  front  by  wharf  con- 
structions at  Jersey  City,  and  in  part  to  deposits  of  dredgings  taken 
from  the  slips  in  New  York  City.  The  shoalings  from  these  sources 
caused  the  20-foot  curv-e  between  Ellis  Island  and  the  canal  basin  in 
Jersey-  City  to  advance  230  yards,  and  it  has  been  estimated  that  the 
average  daily  deposit  upon  the  flats  was,  during  the  interval  stated, 
1,500  cubic  yards.  The  bed  is  composed  generally  of  a  deposit  of  mud, 
silt,  sand,  gravel,  and  bowlders,  with  an  average  depth  of  6  feet  water 
over  it  at  low  stage. 

From  Oyster  Island  to  Craven's  Point,  on  the  Jersey  shore,  a  wide 
shoal  of  rock  in  position  underlies  the  bed ;  at  many  points  the  rock  is 
visible  at  low-water,  but  generally  lies  at  an  average  depth  of  12  feet 
below  that  grade,  with  a  varying  covering  of  sand  and  silt,  such  as  is 
found  at  other  points  of  the  flats.  In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
small  islands  which  lie  adjacent  to  the  main  ship  channel  there  are  no- 
ticed small  submerged  areas  of  bowlders.* 

In  1872  the  Coast  Survey  completed  additional  surveys  to  ascertain 
the  extent  of  the  continued  shoals  on  the  flats. 

To  form  a  comparison  with  the  survey  of  1855  a  line  was  drawn  from 
Bobbins'  Beef  Light-House  to  Bedloe's  Island  flag-staff,  and  thence 
slightly  deflected  through  Ellis  Island  flag-staff  to  the  I^ew  Jersey 
Central  Bailroad  wharf. 

From  these  datum  lines  normals  were  laid  off,  and  by  the  latter  the 
changes  in  the  6, 12, 18  and  24  foot  curves  were  noted.  It  was  observed 
that  all  the  curves  had  been  pushed  outwards  or  eastward,  but  most 
conspicuously  the  24-foot  curve  near  Ellis  Island,  which  had.  moved  on 
the  average  303  feet,  the  maximum  advance  being  825  feet,  reducing  by 
so  much  the  width  of  the  main  channel  for  heavy  ships  and  increasing  the 
shoal  ground  by  129  acres.  The  18-foot  curve  had  advanced  in  the  av- 
erage 211  feet,  representing  a  shoaling  of  92  acres,  and  at  Oyster  Island 
the  12-fotft  curve  had  advanced  over  1,000  feet,  due  to  careless  and  inju- 


EXAMINATION  OF  THE  WATERS  OF  NEW  YORK  BAY.  3 


dicious  dumpings  there  of  city  dredgiugs.  It  was  estimated  that  the 
total  deposits  from  1855  to  1871  upon  the  border  of  the  main  channel,  due 
to  natural  and  artificial  causes,  reached  the  high  figure  of  3,000,000 
cubic  yards.  Since  1871  dumpings  of  city  dredgiugs  upon  the  Jersey 
Flats  have  been  prohibited  by  the  Pilot  Commissioners,  and  in  conse- 
quence the  shoalings  arising  from  deposits  due  to  natural  causes  have 
been  so  slight  as  to  be  almost  inappreciable2  except  on  the  outer  edge 
of  the  flats.  Later  examinations,  including  the  one  to  which  this  report 
refers,  show  that  the  flats,  being  under  the  lee  of  the  long  wharves  at 
Jersey  City,  and  sheltered  from  the  currents  which  bring  down  deposits 
from  the  upper  river,  are  not  subject  to  further  material  shoalings,  and 
that  the  present  average  and  almost  uniform  depth  of  6  feet  over  the 
general  surface  at  low  stage  will  be  probably  maintained  indefinitely. 

As  the  many  railroads  which  concentrate  at  Jersey  City  now  occupy 
all  the  best  deep-water  front  in  that  city  for  their  ferry  slips,  and  for 
their  own  storehouses,  elevators,  and  shipping  wharves,  the  city  feels 
sadly  in  need  of  a  larger  water-front  to  accommodate  the  commerce 
which  naturally  seeks  that  side  of  the  harbor,  and  which  now  goes,  else- 
where to  overcrowd  the  wharves  in  New  York  City  and  Brooklyn.  To 
get  a  relief  from  this  state  of  things  it  has  been  proposed  to  extend  on 
the  south  side  of  Jersey  City»the  exterior  line  of  piers  farther  across 
the  flats  towards  deep  water,  so  that  the  property  holders  on  the  west 
shore  line  may  render  their  water-fronts  available  for  shipping  pur- 
poses, and  increase,  by  these  improvements,  the  storage  and  shipping 
business  of  the  harbor.  The  movement  was  commenced  in  1864  by  the 
Riparian  Commissioners  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey  establishing  the 
exterior  line  of  solid  filling  shown  on  the  chart,  500  feet  beyond  which 
was  placed  the  exterior  line  of  piers.  These  lines  follow  generally  the 
curvature  of  the  shore.  The  promoters  of  the  present  examination  now, 
desire  that  the  government  shall  excavate  a  channel  300  feet  wide,  bot- 
tom measurement,  and  21  -feet  deep  at  low-water,  from  the  wharves  of 
the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  in  a  straight  line  to  the  deep  waters 
of  Kill  van  Kull,  the  axis  of  the  channel  so  excavated  to  be  670  feet  to 
the  eastward  of  the  established  exterior  line  of  piers.  Should  the  govern- 
ment undertake  the  opening  of  the  communicating  channel,  the  Riparian 
Commissioners  agree  to  extend  the  exterior  line  for  piers  500  feet  beyond 
the  line  now  adopted,  which  will  then  make  the  prospective  piers  and 
their  intervening  slips  accessible  to  the  deep-water  channel,  and  open  a 
shorter  and  more  sheltered  interior  channel  from  the  docks  in  Jersey 
and  New  York  cities  to  those  on  Kill  van  Kull.  Already  have  some  of 
the  property  holders  on  the  west  shore  commenced  the  excavation  of 
channels  across  the  flats  to  connect  their  wharves  or  slips  near  the 
present  shore  lines  with  the  main  channel  of  the  bay.  Two  are  shown 
upon  the  map;  the  first,  that  of  Messrs.  Morris  &  Cumings,  starts  near 
Pamrepa,  and  strikes  the  12-foot  curve  midway  between  Robbins'  Reef 
Light  and  Oyster  Island.  It  is  8,400  feet  long,  100  feet  wide,  and  has 
10  feet  water  at  low  stage.  The  second,  in  process  of  excavation,  ex- 
tends from  Made  Island  to  deep  water,  midway  between  Oyster  Island 
and  Bedloe's  Island,  part  of  it  being  excavated  through  the  rocky  area 
shown  on  the  chart.  It  is  probable  that  other  channels,  with  the  same 
object  of  utilizing  the  western  shore,  will  be  opened  at  an  early  day,  but 
their  limited  width  and  depth  must  restrict  their  use  at  high- water  to 
vessels  drawing  not  exceeding  15  feet  of  water,  and  they  will  therefore 
not  be  able  to  aiford  all  the  relief  that  is  deaired. 

The  estimate  which  accompanies  this  report  shows  that  the  opening 
of  the  government  channel,  now  so  earnestly  advocated  by  the  property 


4 


EXAMINATION  OF  THE  WATERS  OF  NEW  YORK  BAY. 


holders  on  Bergen  Neck,  will  be  a  work  of  great  magnitude,  and  will 
cost  the  large  sum  of  $7,LU,98().  This  estimate  has  been  carefully  re- 
vised, and  is  approximately  correct.  *  Although  it  is  stated  that  the 
channel  across  the  flats,  opened  at  the  expense  of  private  individuals, 
has  not  shoaled  since  its  excavation,  it  is  not  at  all  certain  that  the  gov- 
ernment channel  once  opened  will  be  self-sustaining.  The  ebb  and 
flood  currents  set  directly  across  its  projected  axis,  and  it  is  to  be  ex- 
pected tlmt  a  Blight  degradation  of  the  slopes  of  the  cut  in  sand  and  silt 
will  take  place,  and  that  a  large  percentage  of  the  moveable  material 
of  the  bottom  adjacent  to  the  improvement  will  gradually  find  its  way 
into  the  deeper  part.  For  this  reason  it  is  almost  certain  that  dredging 
will  be  required  at  intervals  to  keep  the  channel  free  alter  it  has  been 
once  opened.  The  projected  channel  will  surely  be  of  great  benefit  to 
any  wharves  which  may  be  built  out  to  it  from  the  west  shore,  but  it 
cannot  be  considered  at  all  a  complete,  nor  even  an  approximate,  solu- 
tion of  the  problem  which  is  presented  when  the  future  application  of 
the  flats  is  considered.  The  time  will  come  when  this  section  will  be 
examined  with  the  view  to  its  conversion  into  wet-basins,  and  if  we 
heed  the  rapid  growth  of  the  city's  commerce  and  wealth  during  the 
past  twenty  years,  we  may  be  impressed  with  the  conviction  that  this 
conversion  will  not  be  long  deferred. 

The  rapid  development  and  increase  of  the  commercial  wealth  of  Lon- 
don, Liverpool,  and  other  important  seaports  of  the  Old  World  following 
the  establishment  of  wet-docks  to  facilitate  trade  and  commerce,  fur- 
nish prominent  examples  of  what  our  own  largest  seaport  may  develop 
into  when  the  shipping  necessities  of  the  harbor  are  once  appreciated 
and  suitable  sums  are  devoted  to  the  construction  of  improvements  which 
will  extend  the  field  of  its  commercial  greatness  by  giving  not  only 
piers  for  handling  produce  entering  into  immediate  consumption,  but  by 
giving  facilities  for  housing  that  designed  for  exportation. 

It  is  inopportune  now  to  consider  the  conditions  under  which  this  con- 
version should  take  place,  or  to  divide  by  exact  lines  the  water  spaces 
to  be  reserved;  but  any  adopted  plan  should  be  based  upon  the  principle 
of  preserving,  as  far  as  possible^  the  tidal  reservoir  of  the  flats  which 
equals  30,000,000  cubic  yards  approximately.  Neglecting  at  this  time, 
then,  all  reference  to  an  improvement  which  contemplates  the  construc- 
tion of  wet-docks,  it  will  be  stated  that  the  immediate  effect  of  opening 
a  channel  300  feet  wide  from  the  north  to  the  south  end  of  the  flats  will  be, 
first,  to  diminish  in  a  moderate  degree  the  sailing  distance  between  the 
New  York  City  wharves  and  the  waters  of  Kill  van  Kull,  and  to  give  a 
better  protected  interior  channel  for  the  shipping  between  those  points; 
and,  second,  to  diminish  in  the  average  by  3,700  feet  the  length  of  piers, 
or  piers  and  channels,  connecting  the  west  shore  line  with  the  deep- 
water  channel  to  enable  that  portion  of  the  water  front  to  be  utilized  to 
an  equal  extent  with  other  parts  of  the  bay.  As  the  flats  are  quite 
shoal,  well  sheltered  from  river  currents,  and  have  their  eastern  edge 
precipitous  and  bold,  it  is  believed  that  the  building  of  piers  and  docks 
across  them  will  not  disadvantageously  effect  the  present  currents  of 
the  main  channel  and  that  these  improvements  may  be  made  without 
conflicting  with  any  interest  involving  the  security  and  preservation  of 
the  navigation  of  the  Upper  Bay  or  of  any  of  its  approaches. 

Jersey  Flats  are  in  the  collection  districts  of  New  York  and  Newark,  N.  J.,  which 
are  the  nearest  ports  of  entry.  The  nearest  fort  is  at  the  Narrows,  and  the  nearest 
light-house  on  Bobbins'  Reef,  Upper  Bay,  New  York  Harbor. 

The  amount  of  revenue  collected  at  the  port  of  New  York,  for  the  year  ending  June 
30,  1861,  was  $139,579,562.83. 

The  amount  collected  for  the  same  period  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  was  §9,327.06. 


EXAMINATION  OF  THE  WATERS  OF  NEW  YORK  BAY.  5 


Number  of  vessels  permanently  documented  at  Newark  for  the  coasting  trade  is  28 
sail  and  30  steamers,  with  an  aggregate  tannage  of  5,402  tons.  Vessels  entered  from 
foreign  ports,  49 ;  vessels  cleared  for  foreign  ports,  10. 

The  proportion  of  commerce  represented  by  the  foregoing  figures 
which  will  be  benefited  by  the  improvement  cannot  be  given  approxi- 
mately.   It  has  been  estimated  as  high  as  $10,000,000  annually. 
I  am,  general,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

G.  L.  GILLESPIE, 
Major  of  Engineers,  Bvt.  Lieut.  Col.,  U.  JS.  A. 
Brig.  Gen.  H.  G.  YYright, 

Chief  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A. 


REPORT  OF  MR.  A.  DOERFLINGER,  ASSISTANT  ENGINEER. 

New  York,  December,  12,  1881. 

Major:  I  have  respectfully  to  submit  the  following  report  on  the  examination  of 
New  Jersey  Flats,  made  with  the  view  of  determining  the  feasibility  and  cost  of  con- 
structing a  ship-canal  extending  "froin  a  point  between  Ellis  Island  and  the  docks 
of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  to  a  point  between  Constable  Hook  and  Rob- 
bins'  Reef  Light,  New  York  Harbor." 

The  field  work  of  the  survey  was  executed  between  July  10  and  August  23,  1881, 
under  instructions  from  the  late  Lieut^Col.  N.  Michler,  Corps  of  Engineers,  Brevet 
Brigadier- General,  United  States  Army,  and  was  confined  principally  to  make  borings 
in  order  to  determine  the  character  and  extent  of  a  ledge  of  rock  underlying  the  fiats 
off  Craven's  Point. 

The  soundings  on  the  chart  submitted  herewith  are  taken  principally  from  a  United 
States  Coast  Survey  chart,  based  on  resurveys  made  in  1871,  1872,  and  1873.  In 
connection  with  the  borings,  however,  soundings  were  also  taken  in  the  present  exami- 
nation, and  compared  with  those  of  the  United  States  Coast  Survey;  no  material 
difference  was  found  to  exist  between  the  present  soundings  and  those  of  1871,  1872, 
and  1873,  from  which  it  appears  that  no  marked  change  in  the  depth  of  water  over 
the  portion  of  the  flats  examined  has  taken  place  since  the  date  of  the  earlier  survey. 

The  total  number  of  borings  made  is  328,  of  which  only  those  most  characteristic 
are  shown  on  the  map;  they  were  made  with  a  well-pointed  iron  rod,  which  could  be 
lengthened  at  will  by  the  addition  of  10-foot  sections.  This  rod  was  churned  down 
from  a  platform  framed  across  two  row-boats  by  the  united  efforts  of  two  rnen,  until 
rock  or  other  impenetrable  strata  was  reached :  the  rod  was  withdra  wn  by  means  of 
a  simple  windlass  arranged  for  the  purpose  on  the  platform.  The  position  of  each 
boring  was  located  by  sextant  observations.  From  this  investigation  it  was  found 
that  the  material  composing  the  upper  stratum  of  the  flats  is  principally  mud,  soft  on 
top,  becoming  more  or  less  stiff  and  harder  with  depth.  A  ledge  of  rock  was  found  to 
extend  out  from  Craven's  Point  to  the  main  ship-channel.  The  higher  portions  of 
this  ledge  come  to  the  surface  at  several  points  on  a  line  drawn  from  Craven's  Point 
to  the  southerly  end  of  Oyster  Island,  which  latter  is  one  of  the  summits  of  the  ledge. 
Outcropings  of  the  rock,  which  consists  of  gneiss  nearly  vertically  stratified,  the 
strata  running  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  are  also  found,  on  the  mainland  at  Cra- 
ven's Point.  Sand,  .shells,  and  gravel,  and  mixtures  of  the  latter,  from  the  more  im- 
mediate covering  of  the  rock,  accumulations  of  bowlders  of  various  sizes,  some  of 
which  are  dry  at  low-water,  were  found  at  the  points  where  the  rock  comes  to  the 
surface.  Immediately  north  of  the  ledge,  for  a  distance  of  about  2,000  feet,  soft  mud 
was  found  to  a  depth  of  22  to  23  feet  below  low-water;  from  this  point  to  the  docks 
of  the  Central  Railroad  hard  sand  was  found  a  short  distance  below  the  surface.  To 
the  south  of  the  ledge  mud  was  generally  found  to  a  depth  of  18  to  21  feet,  below 
which,  in  most  instances,  sand  and  clay  was  reached.  To  determine  the  velocity  and 
direction  of  the  tidal  drift,  current  observations  were  made  off  Craven's  Point,  and 
also  between  Ellis  Island  and  the  docks  of  the  Central  Railroad.  The  observations 
at  each  station  were  continued  during  the  greater  part  of  one  tide.  On  the  chart  the 
direction  and  velocity  of  maximum  current  only  is  indicated. 

During  the  period  covered  by  the  observations,  about  4  hours  on  each  tide,  but 
little  change  in  the  direction  of  the  current  was  observed,  with  the  exception  of  the 
flood  current  at  the  last -mentioned  station,  the  direction  of  which  during  maximum 
velocity  was  found  to  bear  10c  f  urther  north  than  during  the  first  and  last  stages  of 
the  tide. 

Between  Ellis  Island  and  the  docks  of  the  Central  Railroad  maximum  ebb  current 
occurs  about  4  hours  after  the  preceding  high-water,  and  maximum  flood  about  4 
hours  after  the  preceding  low-water. 

S.  Ex.  80  2 


6 


EXAMINATION  OF  THE  WATERS  OF  NEW  YORK  BAY. 


Off  Craven's  Point  maximum  flood  current  happens  about  4  hours  after  preceding 
low-water,  and  maximum  ebb  3  hours  after  preceding  high-water. 

From  observations  On  the  currents  in  the  Hudson  River,  between  Bedloe's  Island  and 
Castle  Point,  made  under  the  direction  of  Col.  John  Newton,  Corps  of  Engineers,  in 
1-74.  ir  was  found  that  "the  occurrence  of  maximum  discharge  of  the  river  takes 
place  about  14  hours  19  minutes  after  moon's  transit " ;  and  also  that  "the  swifted 
flood  currents  happen  about  8  hours 22  minutes  after  moon's  southing  ".  (Report  of  the 
Chief  of  Engineers.  1>75.  page  217,  part  2.) 

At  the  "Idle  Hour"  dock  the  mean  interval  of  high-water  after  preceding  moon's 
transit  is  3  hours  1  minute,  and  meau  duration  of  fall  of  tide  6  hours  32  minutes ; 
from  which  it  appears  that  maximum  ebb  in  the  Hudson  River  happens  6  hours  16 
minutes  after  high-water,  or  about  2  hours  18  minutes  after  the  occurrence  of  maxi- 
mum ebb  on  the  flats  near  Ellis  Island,  and  3  hours  18  minutes  later  than  off  Craven's 
Point  :  and  likewise  that  maximum  flood  in  the  Hudson  River  occurs  about  2  hours 
28  minutes  later  than  at  both  current  stations  on  the  flats. 

To  obtain  access  to  the  deep  water  of  New  York  Harbor  it  is  the  desire  of  the  own- 
ers of  the  lauds  bordering  on  the  flats,  and  of  others  interested  in  the  utilization  of 
the  flats  for  the  purposes  of  trade  and  commerce,  that  a  ship-channel  be  constructed 
about  500  feet  outside  of  the  pier  line  as  at  present  established  from  the  docks  of  the 
Central  Railroad  to  Craven's  Point,  the  channel  to  continue  iu  a  straight  line  to  the 
deep  water  of  Kill  van  Kull.  '  The  Riparian  Commissioners  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey- 
propose,  should  the  construction  of  the  channel  be  undertaken  by  the  United  States 
Government,  to  establish  a  new  pier  line  to  coincide  with  the  westerly  limits  of  this 
channel  so  that  the  future  pierheads  will  thAabe  accessible  from  the  navigable  waters 
of  the  bay.  In  addition  to  affording  a  mcahi^of  deep-water  communication  between 
future  piers  that  may  be  built  on  the  flats  Vi»  the  navigable  waters  of  the  harbor,  the 
channel  would  somewhat  shorten  the  distance  from  points  on  the  Hudson  River  to 
points  on  Kill  van  Kull,  and  would  afford  a  more  sheltered  water-way  to  the  numer- 
ous tows  now  plying  between  these  points,  aud  one  more  free  from  strong  head  car- 
rents  than  the  main  ship-channel. 

The  proposed  channel  is  shown  on  the  chart.  The  depth  of  the  projected  cut  has 
been  assumed  at  21  feet  at  mean  low-water,  with  a  bottom  width  of  300  feet,  and  slopes 
of  1  upon  1  in  earth,  the  sides  of  the  cut  through  rock  to  be  nearly  vertical.  The 
quantity  of  excavation  has  been  calculated  from  the  soundings  and  bonngs.  The  rock 
cutting  should  be  regarded  as  approximate  only,  since  a  more  detailed  survey  than  it 
was  possible  to  make  with  the  funds  available  for  the  present  examination  would  be 
necessary  to  determine  this  amount  with  a  greater  degree  of  accuracy.  It  will  be 
seen  by  an  inspection  of  the  chart  that  both  the  ebb  and  flood  currents  do  not  run  in 
the  direction  of  the  proposed  cut,  but  make  an  angle  of  about  22  degrees  with  the 
same.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  effect  of  the  channel,  should  the  same  be  ex- 
cavated, would  be  to  somewhat  modify  the  ^present  currents  on  the  flats,  so  that  on 
the  completion  of  the  work  the  direction  of  the  tidal  drift  would  become  more  nearly 
coincident  with  that  of  the  channel,  and  the  currents,  by  their  scouring  action,  tend, 
to  keep  the  chanuel  open ;  especially  would  this  result  be  likely  to  follow  should  piers 
be  built  from  the  main  land  out  to  the  line  of  the  channel.  Still,  in  all  probability, 
more  or  less  silting  up  would  take  place  by  the  washing  in  of  the  banks  of  the  cut, 
at  least  in  those  portions  where  the  cutting  is  through  soft  mud,  as  is  the  case  directly 
north  of  the  ledge  of  rock,  so  that  redredging  would  likely  become  necessary  from 
time  to  time  in  order  to  maintain  a  depth  of  21  feet  in  the  channel. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  proposed  channel  is  herewith  respectfully  submitted. 
The  cost  of  $12  per  cubic  yard  for  rock  excavation  is  based  on  the  supposition  that  the 
work  will  be  done  in  the  ordinary  way  of  drilling  from  the  surface,  breaking  the  rock 
up  by  blasting,  and  removing  the  fragments  by  means  of  a  dredge.  It  is  believed, 
however,  that  should  appropriations  be  made  sufficiently  large  to  warrant  the  adop- 
tion of  a  comprehensive  plan  of  operations  the  greater  portion  of  the  rock  could  be 
removed  at  a  much  less  cost  by  inclosing  the  area  to  be  operated  on  with  a  coffer-dam, 
and  carrying  on  the  excavation  in  open  cut. 

ESTIMATE  OF  COST. 


458,333  cubic  yards  rock  excavation,  at  $12  per  yard   $5,  499, 996 

3,945,400  cubic  yards  dredging,  at  25  cents  per  yard   986,  350 

Engineering,  contingencies,  &c   648,634 


Total   7,134,980 


I  am,  very  respectfullv,  vour  obedient  servant, 

A.  DOERFLINGER, 

Assistant  Engineer, 

Maj.  G.  L.  Gillespie, 

Corps  of  Engineers,  Bit.  Lieut.  Col.,  U.  S.  A. 

O  '  s^ar 


iEx  Safaris 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


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